Private Chef Equipment: What We Bring vs. What You Need

One of the most common questions I get when someone books a private chef for the first time: "What do I need to have ready in my kitchen?"

It's a fair question. You're inviting a professional to cook in your home, and you don't want to be the person who forgot something critical. But here's the thing: private chefs work in unfamiliar kitchens every single week. We've cooked in everything from MICHELIN-level home setups to Airbnb galleys with two pots and a microwave. We adapt.

That said, there are things we bring, things you need, and things worth clarifying before the day of your event. This is the honest breakdown.

What a Private Chef Brings

Professional chefs show up with more than just recipes. Here's what I pack for every private event in Lisbon, Cascais, or beyond:

Knives & Small Tools

This one's non-negotiable. No professional chef uses someone else's knives. I bring my own knife roll: chef's knife, paring knife, boning knife, bread knife, steel, and a handful of small tools (peelers, zesters, microplanes, tweezers). These are extensions of your hands after 25 years - you don't borrow someone else's.

Plating & Serving Equipment

Depending on the menu, I'll bring specific plating tools: squeeze bottles for sauces, ring moulds for elegant stacking, offset spatulas for precise work, tweezers for garnish placement. If the event calls for specialty serving pieces (slate boards, wooden planks, small spoons for amuse-bouche), those come with me too.

Portable Equipment (When Needed)

For techniques that your home kitchen might not handle, I bring backups. A portable induction burner if I need precise temperature control for sauces. A blowtorch for finishing dishes. A sous-vide setup if the menu requires it. A mandoline for paper-thin slicing. These aren't always needed, but they're in the van if the situation calls for them.

Specialty Ingredients & Garnishes

Everything on the menu comes from me - proteins, produce, sauces, garnishes, finishing oils. You're not expected to stock truffle oil or yuzu kosho. I source ingredients based on the menu we've designed together, and I bring them prepped and ready to go.

Cleaning Supplies

I bring my own aprons, kitchen towels, and sanitising supplies. Your kitchen should look cleaner after I leave than before I arrived - that's the standard. I pack bin bags, surface cleaner, and everything needed to reset your space properly.

What You Need to Provide

Now here's what I need from you. None of this is unreasonable - it's just the basics of a functioning home kitchen. But it's worth spelling out so there are no surprises on the day.

Working Cooktop & Oven

This sounds obvious, but I've shown up to homes where the oven didn't work, or the induction hob only had one functioning zone. If you're in a rental property or Airbnb, test everything a day before. Gas, electric, induction - I can work with any of them, as long as they actually heat up.

Basic Cookware

I need:

• 2-3 large sauté pans or frying pans (non-stick is helpful but not essential)
• 1-2 saucepans (small and medium)
• A large pot (for boiling pasta, blanching vegetables, stocks)
• A roasting tray or two (for oven work)
• Mixing bowls in various sizes
• A colander or strainer

If your pans are warped, scratched beyond use, or don't work on your cooktop (common issue: regular pans on induction), let me know beforehand. I'll bring what's needed. Most home kitchens have functional cookware - I'm not expecting restaurant-grade All-Clad, just stuff that works.

Workspace & Storage

Clear counter space is essential. I don't need the entire kitchen, but I do need room to work - ideally near the stove. If your counters are covered in appliances, mail, or décor, please clear a workspace before I arrive.

I also need fridge and freezer space for ingredients. If you're hosting 8-10 people, that means room for proteins, prepped components, and garnishes. A full fridge makes my job harder - it's worth clearing a shelf or two the day before.

Serving Essentials

You provide the plates, cutlery, and glassware for your guests. I'll tell you ahead of time how many plates per person (usually 3-4 for a multi-course meal, plus small bowls for things like soup or dessert).

If you're short on plates or want a more elegant presentation, I can arrange rental sets - but that's an added cost and needs to be discussed during planning. Most people have enough at home.

Rubbish & Cleaning Access

Make sure there's bin space and bin bags. Cooking for 8-10 people generates waste - packaging, trimmings, scraps. I clean as I go, but I need somewhere to put it all.

Dish soap, a sponge, and access to your dishwasher (if you have one) are helpful. I'll leave your kitchen clean, but I need the basics to do it.

What Happens If Something's Missing?

If you're missing a critical piece of equipment, there are three options:

1. I bring it. If I know ahead of time, I can pack extras. No big deal.
2. We adapt the menu. If your kitchen can't handle a specific technique, we adjust. A good chef works within constraints, not against them.
3. You rent or borrow it. For large events or specialty requests, you might need to arrange rentals (extra chafing dishes, additional table settings, etc.). I'll flag this during planning.

The key is communication. If you're in an Airbnb, a villa rental, or a kitchen you're not familiar with, tell me upfront. I've cooked in dozens of unfamiliar spaces across Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, and beyond - I can work with almost anything, but I need to know what I'm walking into.

The Yacht & Villa Factor

Cooking on a yacht or in a villa comes with specific challenges. Yacht galleys are tight, storage is limited, and equipment is often minimal. Villas can have stunning outdoor setups but lack basic cookware indoors.

For these events, I do a site visit or request detailed photos beforehand. I'll bring portable burners, extra pans, serving platters, and anything else needed to deliver the same quality as a home kitchen. The menu might shift slightly based on what's practical in that space, but the experience stays seamless.

This is part of the service - adapting to the environment. You're not expected to retrofit your yacht galley with a six-burner stove. I work with what's there and fill the gaps.

Real Example: Recent Cascais Event

Last month, I cooked a six-course tasting menu for ten guests in a Cascais villa. Beautiful property, stunning ocean views, but the kitchen was small and the cookware was basic.

Here's what they had: a four-burner gas stove (perfectly fine), one decent sauté pan, one scratched non-stick pan, a small stockpot, mixing bowls, and serving plates for eight (they borrowed two more from neighbours).

What I brought: my knives, an extra sauté pan, a portable induction burner, plating tools, squeeze bottles, a blowtorch, and all ingredients prepped and ready.

The result? A seamless dinner service that looked and tasted like a high-end restaurant. The guests had no idea the kitchen was under-equipped - because I planned for it.

What About DIY Setups?

If you're genuinely worried your kitchen isn't ready, here's what I recommend:

• Buy one good pan. A heavy-bottomed stainless steel sauté pan (28-30cm) is the single most useful piece of cookware. If you're missing everything else, this one item covers most cooking techniques.
• Check your plates. Do you have enough matching plates for your guest count? If not, borrow from a friend or buy a cheap matching set. Presentation matters.
• Test your oven. Seriously. Fire it up a day before. Make sure it reaches temperature and holds heat. I've had ovens that claimed to be at 200°C but were actually at 150°C. That ruins timing.
• Clear space. This is free and makes the biggest difference. A clean, organised kitchen is easier to work in than a cluttered one with top-tier equipment.

The Bottom Line

Hiring a private chef isn't like inviting a friend over to cook. You're hiring a professional who brings experience, adaptability, and most of the tools needed to deliver a high-end meal in your space - whatever that space looks like.

Your job isn't to have a restaurant-quality kitchen. It's to provide a clean, functional workspace with the basics: a working stove, a sink, some pots and pans, and enough plates for your guests. Everything else - the technique, the ingredients, the backup equipment, the plating finesse - that's on me.

If you're not sure your kitchen is ready, just ask. A quick phone call or WhatsApp exchange before the event solves 99% of potential issues. I've cooked in kitchens across Portugal for over a decade - from centuries-old Lisbon apartments to brand-new Algarve villas. If there's a stove and a sink, we can make it work.

Related Reading

• How to Plan the Perfect Private Chef Experience
• Private Chef vs. Catering Company: Which Is Right for Your Event?
• Private Chef Menu Styles: From Casual BBQ to Fine Dining
• Private Chef for Villas in Portugal: What to Expect